West Ham’s struggles in front of goal have been one of the defining problems of their nightmare start to the 2025/26 season.
Aside from flashes from Lucas Paquetá and El Hadji Malick Diouf, the Hammers have lacked a cutting edge. New arrival Callum Wilson has scored just once, the ever-injured Niclas Füllkrug has again failed to inspire confidence, and the loss of Mohamed Kudus (though admittedly more of a provider than a scorer) has been noticeable to say the least.
Meanwhile, Jarrod Bowen, though always a bright spark, simply cannot be relied upon entirely to provide the goals West Ham need – no matter how talented he is.
If the Irons are to climb out of the relegation zone and build for the future, they will need solutions in attack—and quickly.
And it seems they may already have their man in mind, after being handed a big boost in the race for one of Brazil’s hottest forwards.
West Ham Receive Kaio Jorge Boost
According to Sports Witness, Cruzeiro’s leadership have openly discussed the possibility of selling Kaio Jorge, who has been linked in recent weeks with West Ham.
Speaking on the club’s official podcast, scouting chief Joaquim Pinto acknowledged that the sale of top players is simply part of the reality for Brazilian sides.
“It is inevitable. Brazilian clubs will always need to sell to keep the machine running,” Pinto admitted.
His comments quickly intensified rumours of a possible transfer, despite Cruzeiro’s improved financial situation following recent investment.
In response, owner Pedro Lourenço moved to reassure supporters, reminding them that Jorge is tied down to a long-term deal.
“We are calm, he has a contract until 2029,” he said.
Who is Kaio Jorge?
The 22-year-old striker was once snapped up by Juventus in 2021 but never made an impact in Turin. Returning to Brazil with Cruzeiro has reignited his career. Jorge has scored 20 goals this season across all competitions, making him the top scorer in the Brasileirão and earning his first senior Brazil call-up.
That recognition came from none other than national team manager Carlo Ancelotti, who is full of admiration for the young striker.
“Kaio Jorge’s qualities? The main characteristic of an attacker is to score goals. He is scoring a lot of goals & is the top scorer of the Brasileirão. He is a very young attacker but also has experience because he has played in Italy. He deserved this call up because of what he is doing,” Ancelotti said.
For West Ham, a glowing endorsement from one of the most successful managers in football history should be all the encouragement they need. If the Hammers want goals, they may not find many better options than Jorge.
